When you think of Southern California thrill rides, Disneyland comes to mind. But a mother and daughter had a real-life “Tower of Terror” experience in an Orange County office building when the elevator in which they were riding reportedly fell 11 stories and trapped them inside.

Covenants not to compete, or “noncompetes,” are commonplace in the employment context. Although state laws affect the validity of particular restrictions, the widespread notion that courts never enforce noncompetes is misplaced. Courts frequently enforce reasonable restrictive covenants that are narrowly tailored to protect legitimate business interests.